Spring suspension for motor and other vehicles



EST AVAILABLE COP\ Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,424

A. V. BOOTHROYD SPRING SUSPENSION FOR MOTOR AND OTHER VENZCLES FiledOct. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Shoot 1 QEST AVAILABLE Com Nov; 2,1926. 1,605,424

* A. V. BOOTHROYD SPRING SUSPENSION FOR MQER AND OTHER VEHICLES FiledOct. 2e 1925 s smu -shat 2 4 BEST AVAILABLE com Nov. 2, 192 1,605,424

A. v. BOOTHROYD SiRING SUSPENSION FOR MOTOR AND Ol'HER VEHICLES FiledOct. 26, 192 s Sheets-Sheet :5

Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES 3EST AVAlLABLE COP- PATENT oFFieE.

ALBERT VIN GENT BOOTHROYD, OF DARLINGTON, ENGLAND, I ASSIGNOR TO THOMASSUMMERSON & SONS LIMITED,'0F DARLINGTON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

SPRING SUSPENSION'FOB MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Application filed October 26, 1925, Serial No. 65.005, and in GreatBritain October 25, 1924.

and suitably arranged lower links, formed of single or double members,which are connected at theirouter ends to thevehicle frame and areconnected at points between their ends to the upper. bearer-by means ofupper links. The. modified collapsible frame is thus composed of-fivemain elements,'viz,

the upper bearer, the'two lower. links, and

the two upper links. The said lower-links are preferably made ofresilient metal-:s'o, as to limit and control the lateral movements ofthe vehicle frame relatively'to the axle;

The attachment of the collapsible frame to a non-rotary vehicle axle orto the spring seat in the case of a live axle where a torque tube ortorque rods-are prov'1ded,.'may be effected by means of a bracketcarrying a" pivot pin engaging with the lnner ends of' the lower links;'in this case the attachment to the vehicle frame is effected by meansof 1 swinging links at the outer ends of the lower links. -\Vhere thetorque reaction is taken by the spring suspension, the forward lowerlink may-be directly pivoted at its outer end to the vehicle frame or apart attached thereto, and acts as a radius rod in addition toperforming its function as a part of the suspension device. The springseat bracket may be replaced by a footstep formed integral with one orthe other of the lower links so as to take the torque reaction. Othermeans which may be'employed for this pur pose are a spring seat brackethaving located under its centre a short stiff laminated spring bearingagainst the under surfaces of:

the lower side links, or short stiff "helical springs may be usedsurrounding curved guide rods which are mounted in the spring.

seat bracket at the front and rear of the central pivot and engage withguide blocks rigidly attached to cthe-lower links.;..ji n: beth thesecases a resilient abutment is thus pro vided for taking the torquereaction and allowing rotational movement of the axle casing within thelimits of the short springs. The spring seat and the axle mayalternatively be mechanically maintained in a position perpendicular tothe reaction of the spring suspension by employing a spring seat bracketcarrying in front of or behind the centre a fixed support for a pivotpin engaging suitable lugs formed on one of the lower links, similarlugs on the other lower link being pivotally attached to a sliding blockworking in longitudinal guides provided in' the spring seat bracket.Instead of the said sliding block a short link may be employed, thelower end of this link being pivoted to a fixed support on the springseat bracket. v

'In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, the same will be more fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and an end elevationshowing one constructional form of the invention as applied to thespring seat of the live axle of a vehicle provided with a torque tube ortorque rods.

Figures 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, 11 and 12 are sideelevations and plans showing five constructions for use in cases wherethe torque reaction is taken by the spring suspension instead of by atorque tube or torque rods as in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 13 and 1 f, are respectively a side elevation and a plan showingan alternative constructional form of the invention, as applied to therear axle of a vehicle provided with a torque tube or torque rods forthe live rear axle.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A, A are the helical compression springsdisposed between the upper bearer B and the lower links C, C which areconnected at points between their ends to the bearer B by means of upperlinks G, C. The inner ends of the lower links are connected to eachother and to a bracket B on the spring seat B of the vehicle axle by apivot pin b and the outer ends of the lower links are connected to thevehicle frame D by means of swinging links G 6- The sprlngs A are.provided at their ends with spigot members fitting into socketsformed-in or carried '1 the-"upper bearer and the lower links"; use forthe springs are thus dispensed with. The said lower links are preferablyImadeof highly; resilient springniatlerial' so as} t o liiiiit andcontrol lateral movement of the vehicle" frame relatively to the-axle; yAs stated above the construction according to Figures 1 and 2 is for usewith the live axle of a vehicle having a torque tube or torque rods-andis not suitableior use with the live axle of z a vehicle in which thespring suspension is also required to 1 perform the function of'a torquetube or torque" rods; :in the latter casethe' outer endof the one ofthelower links-G, (preferably the' forward one) would be; pivoted directlyto the'frame D 'oi' 'a' bracketithereon -soit'h'at this link act's asaradiusrro'd 'aswell per forming its'functi'on as'a parit'of the sprirrgsuspensiom the other one" 'offthe lower links being :conn'ected to-th'eframe D rby a' s'wing ing'link as above-described; The constructionsshownby Figures'13'to 12 are'fals-o for use in thosecasesin which-thespring suspension performs the functioii of a: torque tube or torqu'erodstzin 'al'll theseconstruc tions the outer end of one 'of'th'el lowerllink's' would be pivoted directly to the frame D 4 (or a'brackets'thereoh) and the' othei'lower link would be" cohnect'ed to theframe by a swinginglink; In Figuresfi and Lone of the lower links'G' isformed 'withia-"foot step C" made integral therewith and rigidlyattached to the axle casing in; place. of the bracket B of Figures 1'.and -2. Passingthrough the said 'foot step C and through'the inner endof the other one'of the inner links is the pivot pin 6. In Figures 5 and"6 'a short laminated spring E is located'between the bracket B and. the'partB with its =eri'ds bearinq' against the lower surfaces of the lowerlin'ks C. C,'sothat this -sprinq :re-' sists the tendency for the :axle'to-"rotate This laminated springis, in Figures 7 and 8. replaced by twoshort stifl' helical springs E. E one arranged in frontrof'the pivot pin6 and theother behind this pivot'pin; The said helical springs areguided by curved rods e, e which.passlthroughzguide blocks .6; e-=onthe-linksGyG-C ,In-Figure's Q and 10 the pivot pin 6' merely serves toconnect the inner e'ndssofthe lin ks' 'G', (Y together and theselinks-are formed with lugs oneof which is'comiected'bya. pivot pin 6,to'va -lugyb onthe' bracket B and the other iscOnneQtedi'by" aipivot'.pin b to a -l'ug'wb -on a-block"B* which is'slidably mounted Hinlongitudinal guides-1 iii the bracket In-theconstructionr showif by-Figures-1E1;- and 12 the-sliding block 13*" ,is' replacedby-oneormore-"swinging.=..:li1fl:s B the ep erends of. whichare'ipivotedto the link Gi and: healower eentls' are-fivotd to In theconstru'ctions ;shown'" by Figures 1 to 12 the links" G, C are shown asbeing composed of double side members connected together bydistancepieces C} which are formed with holes to receive the lower spigotends'of the'springs A, A. Thebearer B issirnilarly 'formed,:the distancepieces of the side members of this bearer being also formedwith' holes"to 'r'ecei'vethe upper spigot ends of the said springs. Alternativelythe'linksC, C and the bearer B may each'be formed as a'single' memberprovided with bosses having holes for accommodating the'spigot ends ofthe springs A, Aythe two upper links QC being formed of doublemembers-0f lighter construction, as shown by Figures 13 and 14.

The arran ement shown-in Figures 13 and 14 is'for the most"part-similarte that shownby' Fi'gures 1 and-2, except that the attachment-to the'"a'x'le is by "means of a hanging bracket B, WlllCll' may either 'be afiX'tur'eon the axle" casing '01 be rotatably mounted thereon; In thiscase the con'necting pivot pin b is suspended below the vehicle'a'xlq 1allowinggreater headroom for the spring suspension gear; and permittingof the vehicle 'fr'a-nie' being disposed at a somewhatlower l'evel.'

Although in the "construction illustrated by Figures 13 and :Ittlielower links G, 1 G

andth'e upper be'are'rjBareea'ch formed of a"sin'gle"nren1ber theseparts may be" com-' posed of double s'ideniem'bers with distance iecesin 'amanner similar to that shown by Figures '1 and2. i

that I'clainiand desire tose'cure' by LettersPate'n't of theUnitedStates is:

1. In a spring suspension for vehicles,'the combination'wih the'vehicleframe and the vehicle axle; of a collapsible frame comprisin'g lin'lr'sconnected at theirouter ends tothe vehicle' frame-"andat their innerends to a part moving up and down with the vehicle axle, a substantiallyhorizontal member movable towards and away from the vehicle axle, linksconnecting said member to the first said links atpoints' between theirends, and'spri'ngs interposed between said member and the'first saidlinks.

2'. In a'spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with a vehicleframe and-the vehicle axlemf a collapsible fram'e comprising-lowerlinks" pivo'ted atIth-eir inner ends to'apart moving up and down-withthevehicle axle; swinginglinks connecting vthe outer ends 'of='sai'd lowerlinks-t0 the vehicle frame," a substantially horizontal member niova'ble towards and away from-the vehicle axle; uppier'links connectingsaid member to the-*lower'glinks' at'points between the ends of thelatterlinks"; and springs interposed be tween -'said membera-n'dsaidlower links.-

vehicle axle, of a collapsible frame comprising laterally resilientlower links pivoted at their inner ends to a part moving up and downwith the vehicle axle, swinging links connecting the outer ends of saidlower links to the vehicle frame, a substantially horizontal membermovable towards and away from the vehicle axle, upper links connectingsaid member to the lower links at points between the ends of the latterlinks, and springs interposed between said member and said lower links.

4. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the vehicleframe and the vehicle axle, of a collapsible frame comprising lowerlinks pivoted at their inner ends to a .partmoving up and down with thevehicle axle, swinging links connecting the outer ends of said lowerlinks to the vehicle frame, a substantially horizontal member movabletowards and away from the vehicle axle, upper links connecting saidmember to the lower links at points between the ends of the latterlinks, and helical compression springs interposed between said memberand said lower links.

5. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the combination with the vehicleframe and the BEST AVAlLABLE COP\ casing of the vehicle live axle, of abracket suspended from the axle casing, and a col i lapsible framecomprising links connected at their outer ends to the vehicle frame andat their inner ends to said bracket at a point beneath the axle casing,a substantially horizontal member movable towards and away from thevehicle axle, links connecting said member to the former links at pointsbetween their ends, and springs interposed between said member and saidformer links.

6. In a spring suspension for vehicles, the E combination with thevehicle frame and the casing of the vehicle live axle, of a bracketsuspended from the axle casing, and a collapsible frame comprising lowerlinks pivoted at their inner ends to said bracket at a point beneath theaxle casing, swinging links connecting the outer ends of said lowerlinks to the vehicle frame, a substantially horizontal member movabletowards and away from the vehicle axle, upper links connecting saidmember to the lower links at points between the ends of the latterlinks, and springs interposed between said member and said lower links.

ALBERT VINCENT BOOTHROYD.

